“Shameless” star Ethan Cutkosky was arrested last week on suspicion of misdemeanour driving under the influence, The Associated Press reports.

The 18-year-old actor was reportedly released Thursday morning on $US5,000 bail.

The eighth season of “Shameless” began airing on Sunday.

Ethan Cutkosky, the actor who plays Carl Gallagher on the Showtime series “Shameless,” was arrested last week on suspicion of misdemeanour driving under the influence, according to an Associated Press report.

Burbank police Sgt. John Pfrommer told the AP that the 18-year-old actor was pulled over last Wednesday night after police saw him “straddling lanes.”

Cutkosky was arrested and, according to records from the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department, released early Thursday morning on $US5,000 bail.

Pfrommer told the AP that the actor’s blood-alcohol tests were “still pending.”

Cutksoky has starred on “Shameless” for all eight of its seasons. He began working on the show’s pilot when he was 10 years old.

The eighth season of “Shameless” began airing Sunday on Showtime.

Showtime representatives did not immediately reply to a request for comment.